Switch rail



Jan. I 6, 1925.-

E. 'N. JOHNSON SWITCH RAIL Filed May 1, 1925 3 sheet -sheet 1 INVENTOR E N Jcbys y Jan. 6 1925- E. N. JOHNSON SWITCH RAIL F iled May 1, 1923 s Sheets-Sheet 2 luvsn'roa E, rLJolmsovy E. N. JOHNSON SWITCH RAIL Filed May 1, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 NYE N TOR E H Jobqsfll? BY Patented Jan. 6, 1925.

UNITED S re-s PATENT! one i on.

SWITCH RAIL.

Application filed'May 1, 1923. SeriaiNo. 635,927.

T all 10 [tom it may concern Be it known that I, ERNiisrN, J o'i-iNsoN,=

a subject of the King ofGreat Britaimof the city of Vinnipeg, in thecPi'ovinceof Manitoba, Canada, have invented certain new -ence indicate corresponding-parts in the several figures. The invention relates to improvements in and usefulImprovements 'in Switch Rails, of. which the following is the SPBClfiCEttlOH.

switch rails .for railroad-purposes and the general object of the invention is tO'PlOVlCle a simply constructed, easily 1 operated, pos tive and easily installed switch rail which can be manipulated to connectintersecting tracks as occasion may demand.

J A more particular object of the invention is to improve the construction of the switch rail previously inventedby meand as fully set forth'and described in my United States Patent No. 1,393,538 dated-October 11th, 1921, the improvements relating more particularly tothe general arrangement-of the base plate, top plate and other-plates and fittings associated therewith, -whereby the same can be more easily; manufactured and assembled and also to the locking bar and parts associatedtherewith, whereby the same is at all times absolutely positive in its action and also whereby the sainecan be readily repairedwhen required.

. VVith'the above-moreamportant ob ects in VlGW'thGJDVGIltlOIl consists essentially in they arrangement and construction "of parts hereinafter more particularly describedand later pointed out'in the-i appended; claims,

in Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlargedview similar to Fig.- 1 with-the switchrail, clips and dustplates removed. I V 15 Fig. i isa View similar to Fig. 3 with the parts in the position" in which-theturn out rail is connected, to the side rail and prior to i the same being locked in such position.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed-vertical sectional view at 55' Fig. 1. V

Fig. 6 is a vertical 'sectional'view at 66' Figure 3.

Fi 7 is a plan view of the base plate and certain other parts associated therewith;

F ig.'2 is aside view of the parts appearing thereto by suitably placed clips 18.

' ig. 8 is an enlarged plan viewof the swivel plate and other partsshowing more particularly the detailedfeatures of I the slot 24:."

In the drawings'like characters of refer- In the present disclosure I have only considered t necessary to show the device as it appears associated with the adjoining poi'- tions '1 and-2 of the main line rail and the adjoining portions 3 and-4 of the turn out and side rails. -Th'ese portions of the main line, turn out 'and side' rails lead to the device in the ordinary way and are securely bolted together as indicated at 5 and 6, suitnected' ends of the rails hereinbe'forementioned.

Q11 the ends of the baseplate I locate end plates 11 and; 12' which: are permanently riveted orotherwise'fastened to the meeting ends of the railsl, 8,2, 4-, and these end plates are securelyfastened by bolts 13 and 14; to the base plate.

Between the: end plates and on the-base plateI mount a swivel plate :15, the said swivel plate having-one end pivotally held to the base plate bya' king bolt or pivot pin 16. The ends of the swivel plate are cut concentrict'o the bolt 16 as are a-lso'the inner ends-of the end plates 11 and12, which-latter slidably engage the ends of tlieswivel plate.

On the swivel plate I mount a lengthwise extending switch'rail 17 which islfastened The switch rail, in the turning movement of the swivel plate,v is adapted to connect the through portions 1 and '2 of the main line rail or the turnout rail to theside rail 4., depending on. 'the setting thereof.

The switcliplate is held down by pairs of clip plates 19 and 20 bolted to the end plates and having their iner-ends overlying the ends of the swivel plate.

Means, shortly described, are provided for shifting theswivel plate andlocking the same in shitted'position, such being operated from a suitable tower or other-'s'tation. The base plate is provided with two transversely extending suitably spaced slots 21 and 22 and to the underside of the swivel plate I permanently rivet a stop plate 23 which is received within the slot 22 and, by contact with the ends of the slot, is adapted to positively limit the swinging movement of the swivel plate, the limiting positions of the swivel plate being when the switch rail is aligned with the rails 1 and 2 or with those 3 and 4. The swinging or free end of the swivel plate is provided with a slot 24 which is provided with an offset portion 25, the offset portion forming two right angled shoulders or stops 26 and 27. The slot 24 is above the slot 21 and the said slots receive a shift-able locking bar'28 which has the lower part thereof contracted and mounted for operating in the slot 21 and the upper part thereof somewhat larger and mounted for operation within the slot 24 and offset 25. The locking bar has the ends thereof somewhat larger than the body part and the ends are preferably case hardened steel. The locking bar is adapted, when shifted endwise, to actuate the swivel plate 15, turning it from one limiting position to the other and when so turned to lock the swivel plate against movement.

In Figure 3 I have shown the locking bar in full outline in the position which it has whenthe switch rail is connecting the main line rails 1 and 2 and is being locked in such 7 position by the locking bar. In said figure I have shown in dotted outline the position which the shifted locking bar has when the swivel plate is released and when it is about to move with the locking bar.

In Figure 4 I have shown the swivel plate in the position where the turn out rail 3 and the side rail 4 are connected by the switch rail and the locking bar in full outline in the position occupied after it has fully shifted the swivel plate and prior to locking the same. In dotted outline in said latter figure I have shown the locking bar in the position which it has when it looks the swivel plate.

By observing these figures it will be apparent that in the limiting positions of the swivel plate and of the locking bar, the swivel plate cannot move unless the lockin bar be shifted. lVhen the locking bar is shifted in either direction from extreme positions the inner end of the locking bar strikes the shoulder (26 or 27) and in striking the shoulder positively causes the swivel plate to move with it. the movement of the plate continuing until the switch rail has been brought to its proper position in respect to the other rails, at which time the advancing end of the locking bar is adapted V to clear oif the shoulder and enter the end of the slot 24.

In my prior patent herein before mentioned the locking bar did not engage with abrupt or right angled shoulders and I have found, by experience, that in such prior construction the action was not at all times positive.

The present arrangement provides a construction which can at all times be relied upon and which is much more simple to manufacture and easier to assemble.

The locking bar and parts immediately associated therewith are enclosed beneath dust plates 29 and 30 bolted to the swivel plate. The locking bar is provided with a centrally disposed pin 31 which projects downwardly beneath the base plate and is connected to a shifting bar 32 which can be operated in any suitable manner to effect the proper movement of the locking bar at the required times. The pin 31 h as the head thereof countersunk in the top face of the locking bar and is retained in place by the dust plates and base of the switch rail.

I wish now to refer particularly to Figure 8, wherein the details of the slot 24 are better shown. In the construction of this slot it is necessary that the faces 33 and 34 adjoining the shoulders be in a fixed position relative to one another and this position is such that, if the said faces be projected to intersect, the angle indicated at a and formed at the intersection, will be equal to what is known as the frog angle. This angle is actually the angle 6 between the rails 2 and 4 or, which is the same thing, the angle between the rails 1 and 3.

The offset 25 is simply of such a nature that clearance is given the locking bar 28 when it is moving in either direction from central position.

In connection with the'slots 24 and 21, it is necessary that the faces 33 and 34 lie flush with the inner edge of the slot 21 at the time the advancing end of the locking bar 28 is escaping from the shoulders 26 and 27.

vv hen the locking bar is in its extreme positions it positively locks the swivel plate against movement owing to the fact that in such positions it cannot move in. a circular path concentric to the swivel pin 16 and consequently should the swivel plate attempt to move it will be bound by the locking bar, the movement of which is constrained by the straight slot 21. The value of the offset is obviously to give sufiicient clearance to allow the locking bar to shift in the slots without binding when the same is moved.

In order to give a clear understanding of the present invention as compared with that disclosed in my prior patentl nowpoint out the following:

In my prior construction the locking bar had a fixed but changing path of travel in respect to the base plate which introduced structural con'iplications which necessitated. considerable manufacturing costs and permitted considerable possibilities of wear.

In the present applicationthe locking bar of the straight path of travel...

In the priorpatent the locking ta e,

tuated the swivel plate by frictional contact,

whilst in the present case the act ion is a direct andpositive thrust between the;parts for the entire movement, such being brougl'it about by contact of the locking bar withi either of the shoulders. Further, in the prior disclosure the parts had to be designed...

and adj usted to such a nicety to work satis factorily that the: devise couldmot be relied upon s when installed under, ordinary conditions as met with inmailroad track work.

The present device has been; designedso that it can be installed and relied upon, with ony a reasonable amount of care beingexercised when installing. I What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination ,with; a mainline, a

turn out and a side rail, of a base plate per- 5 manently secured to and supportingthe aforesaid rails, said base plate having a transverse slot therein, a top plate pivotally secured to the basezplate and movab'le laterally between predetermined fixe d ll npitin 3 positions,,said top plate i having a slotthere in and with the latter slot hayinggonegside presentingconverging working faces with a clearance space reserved betweerith'ej said- Working facesy a switch rail -i 3ermanently mounted on the top plate anfdiadapted in the limiting positions of the top plate to connect] the main line rails' or the side rail and turn out rail and a shiftable locking bar operating within the slots and having a straight path of travel in the slot of the base plate and adapted to engage with the working faces of the top slot in the end shifting of the locking bar.

2. The combination with a main line, a turn out and a side rail, of a base plate permanently secured to and supporting the aforesaid rails, said base plate having a transverse slot therein, a pivoted top plate having a slot therein and movable laterally between predetermined fixed limiting positions, said latter slot presenting converging working faces having their inner ends terminating in abrupt shoulders, there being a clearance space reserved between the shoulders, a switch rail permanently secured to the top plate and adapted to connect, in the limiting shifted positions thereof, the main line rails or the side rail and turn out rail, and an endwise shiftable locking bar operating in the slots and adapted to engage with the shoulders and when so engaged shift the top plate in one direction or the other, depending on the direction of travel, and move 7 faces, said working, facesha'ving the ends; terminatlng n ,abrupt shoulders separatedby a clearance space, a switch'ra'f lp'erthe s an' e tozits'limiting ,posi tionand a dapt'ed further and subsequently to gc lear th'ej shqulder and pass into, the ends of. t,l1e,-slots and positively lock the top ment platelagainst move-v 3. The combination {with a plain-line, a turn out and a side rail, of a base jpiate permanently secured to an d s upp orti'ng the aforesaid rails, said base platefhaving a transverse slot therein, a top. plate having one end pivotally secured to the jbase plate and the other end laterally movable between pre e erm ne l m t ng pbsiti n a d P vided in the latter end ,with a slot one side c a of the slot presenting, convergnn ;manently secured toithe top, plate and, adapt- ;ed in one of the l mit ng positions tl'iereo'f to connect themain line rails and; in th 'e' other v limiting position to connect the side rail and the turn out rail and, 1 an endwise j shiftable locking bar, operating within .thejslotsand having a straight path of nav in th'e slo't of the base plate and adapted t o ;engi 'e' jwith one --or other, of, the shoulders in the end shifting thereof and, in so ,doingshift. {the top plate to its limiting position in l'that direct on and subsequently. to' escape from the shoulder into the endsofgthe slotsandnlock t n P a e a ins m ve ent *4. In combination, a fixedbase platehaving a n ver e sl I1 erel et nrl ts m one end pivotally connected-to the base plate and the; other end.laterally swingable :over t e ba's rl te and p videdifl id la t end with a slot, the said slot having onesidepresenting converging working faces having their inner ends terminating in abrupt shoulders and with the shoulders separated by a clearance space and a locking bar entering both slots and endwise shiftable therein and having a straight path of travel in the slot of the base plate and adapted when end shifted to engage one or other of the shoulders and move the top plate a prede termined distance and subsequently clear from the shoulder and pass into the end of the slot and lock the top ment in the shifted position.

5. The combination with a main line, a turn out and a side rail, said main line and side rail intersecting at a predetermined angle termed the frog angle, of a base plate permanently secured to and supporting the aforesaid rails and provided with a transversely extending slot, a top plate having one end pivotally attached to the base plate and the other end provided with a slot, said latter slot having one edge thereof presenting converging working faces intersecting at the frog angle and separated by a clearance space and an endwise shiftable locking bar operating within the slots and having a 01k n g late against movestraight path of travel in the slot of the base plate and adapted when shifted in either direction to shift the top plate a predetermined distance by contact with the aforesaid side of the slot in the top plate and subsequently to pass into the end of the said slot and lock the top plate against further movement.

6. The combination with a main line, a turn out and a side rail, said main line and side rail intersecting at a predetermined angle termed the frog angle, of a. base plate secured to and supporting the aforesaid. rails, said base plate having a transverse slot therein, a top plate having one end pivotally attached to the base plate and the other end laterally shiftable and provided with a slot, the said latter slot having one side presenting converging faces intersecting at the frog angle and with the said converging faces having their inner ends terminating in abrupt shoulders separated by a clearance space, means positively limiting the lateral shifting movement of the top plate, a switch rail permanently secured to the top plate and adapted in one of the limiting positions thereof to make a through main line rail connection and in the other of its limiting positions to connect the side rail with the turn out rail and an endwise shiftable looking bar operating within the slots and having a straight path of travel in the slot of the base plate and adapted when shifted in either direction to engage with one L or other of the shoulders and shift the top,

plate to its limiting position and, having shifted the top plate to such position, to escape from the shoulder and enter the end of the slot and in so doing lock the top plate against shifting.

7. The combination with main line, turn out and side rails, of a base plate underlying the ends of the rails, end plates permanently secured to the ends of the rails and bolted to the base plate, a top plate mounted on the base plate and positioned between the end plates, said top plate having one end pivotally attached to the base plate, the said rails, end plates and top plate having their adjacent ends cut concentric to the pivot point of the top plate, pairs of clip plates permanently secured to the end plates and having their inner ends overlying the ends of the top plate, a switch rail permanently secured to the top plate and adapted in the shifting of the top plate in one direction to make a through main line rail connection and in the shifting of the top plate in the other direction to connect the side rail with the turn out rail and a stop plate permanently secured to the underside of the top plate and operating within a slot provided in the base plate and adapted to engage with the ends of the slot in the shifting of the top plate and stop the movement thereof when the said switch rail is forming a through main line rail connection or when the said switch rail is connecting the side rail with the turn out rail.

Signed at the city of Winnipeg, in the Province of Manitoba, this 20th day of 

